Apparatus and method for insertion of material in broadcasting

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for local insertion of analog or digital material into a television broadcast signal. A central insertion control unit controls the insertion of additional material while a remote insertion control unit locally controls the insertion of the additional material. The central insertion control unit contains a processor, storage media, and an encoder for encoding control and information signals into a broadcast signal. The control signal contains a cue signal for information about play lists, and an action signal for triggering insertion of the additional material. The control signal is encoded into a line of the vertical blanking interval. Once the control is detected by the remote insertion control unit the additional material is played and broadcast.

1 . A system for frame accurate insertion of a media segment into a broadcast signal, comprising: 
 a central insertion control unit, capable of inserting the media segment into a broadcast signal, that inserts a control signal related to the media segment and an information signal into the broadcast signal, the central insertion control unit being coupled to a central source broadcast equipment; and    a remote insertion control unit that controls the insertion of the media segment based on the control signal received from the central insertion control unit, the remote insertion control unit being coupled to a rebroadcasting equipment of a remote receiver, the remote receiver detecting the control signals and information signal in a received broadcast signal and broadcasting the media segment in response to the control signal;    wherein the control signal is inserted into the broadcast signal after confirmation is received that the media segment was transferred to and stored at a remote station and comprises:    a cue signal that transfers information about media segments; and    an action signal that triggers an insertion of the media segment.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the central insertion control unit inserts the control signal into spare data capacity of the broadcast signal.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the action signal references time.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , the control signals further comprising: 
 a security code identifying the channel to be used by the broadcast signal.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , the control signals further comprising: 
 a package identifier used to identify the proper receipt of the control signal by the remote insertion control unit.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , the control signals further comprising: 
 an encryption key used to decipher the media segments.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the central insertion control unit comprises: 
 storage media for storing control information as well as media segment information and logging information;    a processor for controlling and monitoring the insertion and being coupled to the storage media;    an encoder for encoding control signals and information signals into a broadcast signal, the encoder being coupled to the processor; and    a data communications unit for external communication and serial interface for connection to external devices, the data communications unit and the serial interface being coupled to the processor.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a first remote control unit coupled to the central insertion control unit for remotely controlling and communicating with the central insertion control unit;    a second remote control unit coupled to the remote insertion control unit for remotely controlling and communicating with the remote insertion control unit; wherein communication with the first remote control unit and the central insertion control unit is devised to be performable by telecommunications lines.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the remote insertion control unit comprises: 
 a processor;    storage media for storing media segment and being coupled to the processor;    a player for playing stored media segment and being coupled to the processor and the storage media;    a broadcast signal switch for switching between broadcasting received broadcast signals and media segment being played by the player, the media segment being input into the switch as broadcast signals;    an insertion control unit being coupled to and devised for controlling the switch, the insertion control unit having an input for receiving the video signal portion of a broadcast video signal, from which a control signal is extractable;    a computer interface being connectable to the processor;    a data broadcast transceiver being coupled to the computer interface; and    an audio-video changeover for switching from a received broadcast signal output to an insertion signal output from the player, the audio-video changeover being coupled to the computer interface.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a first remote control unit coupled to the central insertion control unit for remotely controlling and communicating with the central insertion control unit;    a second remote control unit coupled to the remote insertion control unit for remotely controlling and communicating with the remote control unit; wherein communication with the first and second remote control units and the insertion control units is performed by telecommunications lines.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the action signal triggers an insertion of the media segment based on the content of the media segment.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the action signal triggers an insertion of the media segment based on the context of the media segment.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the context of the media segment is conveyed to the remote insertion control unit via a feedback channel from an end receiver of the broadcast channel.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the action signal triggers an insertion of the media segment in response to central playing schedule information.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the remote insertion control unit is coupled to remote storage media for storing media segments, play lists, log files and status information.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the central insertion control unit and a remote insertion control unit are connectable into a network by the telecommunications lines.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the central insertion control unit, the remote insertion control unit and a separately located compression/decompression unit for compressing/decompressing information are connectable into a network by the telecommunications lines.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the control signal encoder is encoded into a Teletext compatible format.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control signal encoder is encoded into a Teletext compatible format transparent to a standard Teletext receiver.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control signal encoder is encoded into a Hamming coded format.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the broadcast signal is a radio signal.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the radio signal is digital.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the broadcast signal is a television signal.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the spare capacity of the broadcast signal is a vertical blanking interval.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the broadcast signal is a high definition television signal.